It was a nightmare start that put the Pistons in a 3-0 hole in the first period that despite their best efforts, they could never climb out of falling 4-2 to the host Portage Terriers. 
 

Portage had plenty of time to rest up for this game having lost in the second round of the MJHL playoffs, and came out flying, scoring a pair of goals early to go up 2-0.  
 

Head coach Paul Dyck sensed his team needed to calm down, so the veteran bench boss used his timeout to steady the ship. 
 

It worked short term as things evened out a bit before Portage managed to score their third goal of the game to go up 3-0. 
 

As the period went on, the Pistons evened things out and actually started to take over. Ty Paisley had the best chance as he broke in all alone but his shot squarely hit the post and stayed out.  

The second period had Steinbach buzzing even more. Shift after shift the Pistons poured on the pressure. 
 

Eventually, they broke through as Paisley took a puck off a won face-off by Kirk Mullen and ripped home his first of the tournament. 
 

More opportunities came but Portage managed to hang on and take a 3-1 lead into the third. 
 

The pace picked up again as both teams showed elite speed, working hard to generate chances. 
 

Travis Hensrud pulled the Pistons to within a goal as the 20-year-old wired a wrist shot off the rush that beat the Terrier netminder to cut the lead to 3-2. 
 

A penalty to Steinbach with under six to go in the third killed all the positive momentum built by the club and gave Portage a chance to put the game further out of reach, which is exactly what they did. 
 

The power play dagger put the Hosts up 4-2 and despite some exceptional work in the final minutes, the Pistons couldn’t cut into the lead and face a steep, steep battle if they hope to make it to the Centennial Cup playoffs. 
 

Dominik Wasik was tagged with the loss. 
 

Steinbach’s record is now 0-1-1 at the tournament.